What I Thought I Wanted and What I Got Instead

Everything I seem to write down today is coming off a little more negatively than I would hope for it to. After all I am trying to kick that bad habit. OPTIMISM ALL THE WAY! It just seems that disappointment is the theme of the moment. A smart person would stop writing right here so I will continue. I think its fair to say we all experience disappointment Disappointment in places, people, situations. I surprise myself because I claim to be pretty set in knowing what I want to do and who I am therefor getting a bit thrown off when I am able to drastically change my opinion about______ (insert Noun here)so quickly. There is a song by Sara Groves that hits this all on the head (the title of this blog stems from there as well). It's crazy how we all make our minds up and then change them. It is scary when all of a sudden I am standing up for something that yesterday I knew nothing about. Tomorrow I will be defending someone I don't know today. YIKES... sounds like stress to me! Anyway... The most important part from this lyric is the lines after what I included in the title. "What I thought I wanted and What I got instead leaves me broken yet grateful." the yet grateful is substitute with peaceful and faithful as well. Those are what I am working on today. I am doing really good in the grateful category. I have found so much in the things I now deem insignificant. We learn from our mistakes and we usually can walk away with some good knowledge after a bad experience. I will explore these further in my head this afternoon... its off to change the world in my Algebra class!

Samurai Bob

Today DUNA bought two sweatshirts, a book, and a shot glass. I… well I bought Samurai Bob a Chicago T-shirt! He was real exited. So as you can see we both are ninjas. This may or may not be something you knew about me. If Bob wasn’t so short you would see me in full ninja garb. We spent a good hung of the day walking the streets of Chicago. We spent a good amount of time being tourists We explored the Art Institute, Millennium Park, and the Water Tower building??? Not sure what that’s really called. We ended our time in the city at the Hard Rock Café. Today wasn’t all fun… Bob and I devoted a good amount of time to ninja discipline. We spent a lot of the afternoon learning the way of the Samurai. After all of our devoted study and meditation we may decide to reward ourselves by hiking a few blocks for some Cold Stone. Bob really likes his Rockey Road. Me, I like the Birthday Cake Remix. Bob and Sus signing out… Hiii ya… Kee Ahh!

Evanston IL

So here we are DUNa and I. We are staying at the Best Western in Evanston. We took the red eye buss leaving Minneapolis at 11:45 yesterday evening and arriving at Union Station sometime around 7:00am. We went instantly to Evanston to visit Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. Where I had 2 meetings, a tour, and a lunch date. It is on the Northwestern University Campus and is right on the shore of Lake Michigan. It is two blocks away from where you can catch the train. It is quite pretty here. The city is much larger than I thought it was but still so very cute. It is known to be the suburb of Chicago with the good places to eat. DUNa and I didn't fully take in the experience tonight because we were so tired. After a 4 hour nap we got our dazed selvs out of bed and walked around peering in the windows of the cute shops and restaurants... Tomorrow DUNa is in control because today was all about me.... Did I mention I am accepted... It's scarier than I thought.... hmmm... more pictures athttp://www.garrett.northwestern.edu/

Life Soundtrack

How incredible is music... It is probably one of the most powerful things I know... There is nothing worse or greater than a song that reminds you of a good time or a bad time. A song has the power to transport a person to a place or time without you even giving consent. One minute you are driving in your car and the next minute you are one the lake fishing with your dad ( the song "we were nearly freshman" comes to mind).I love music. I like listening to music more than most things... It is crazy to me how there is a song for almost every moment or situation a person could ever find themselves in. There is music for when you are in love (Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have some of my fave. duets), angry (heal diggin, boot stompin songs), sad(Mindy Smith sends the tears), and happy(Pop! Goes My Heart... enough said!). How is it that songs have the power to be every emotion at one time... For quite a long time I have wondered what the soundtrack of my life would look like. There is no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't be all over the spectrum. I would need a few Jock Jamish songs to represent my energy. A significant amount of sappy songs to demonstrate that most often I am an emotional basket case. There would also have to be a few good dance tunes.. These could represent a number of things. For now we will have them represent movement/change.I would need one good angry song (it would have to be a hidden track because that's nothing I would really want people to hear/see). I could also make a bold statement with the album cover... and write a lot of witty things on this inside pamphlet definitely not a disclaimer for the lyrics. The question is... would it be one people would rip off the Internet... or one of those must buys from a store.... Who knows really... its so far from being finished!

Why Is Life Difficult?

So I just finished a test with some time left over for blogging. Why is Life Difficult? You are looking at the first question on my test. Its really quite funny to think of answer that question. Had I not done my research and read Scott Peck's explanations I would have had a host of answers. Maybe a few would be...

1. We are required to take classes that we have no interest in.
2. Because things change. People Change.
3. It's a mans world.
4. Gas is expensive and I can't stay in one place for too long.
5. I wasn't blessed with the academic gene.
6. My friends are too far away.
7. Relationships change/people change.
8. You have to buy the whole album.
9. We are emotional beings, I am an emotional being.
10. etc...

However the answer that I wrote on my test (the correct answer in the eyes of my prof.) Is that life is difficult because it is a series of problems. One after another. The most challenging thing for us as humans is to simply except the fact that life is difficult. Once we are open to this truth and see it as such life will no longer be difficult. I've been told that it is the wise person who welcomes pain and challenges. The growth that will result is of significant value. Its crazy but so true that my days are only as bad as I make them. I am only as stressed out as I allow myself to be. The mantra in my mind is "plenty of time, plenty of time" I also enjoy "I have no where else to be and nothing else to do but to be present here and now." If I make my day long enough I can get anything done. If I start my day early enough I will have significantly less to do in the evening. Delayed gratification folks!!! That is what I am selling today!

Fresh Air and SUNSHINE!

WOW... it feels so good to finally get out of my house... well... I made it to DUNa's in those white out conditons but to actually leave the parking lot in my car is AMAZING. Today is a good day.... You know how I can tell... well there are lots red flags....
First and foremost I have trashed my room looking for something great to wear for tonight... as much as I love themes they stress me out!!! Not sure I am there yet but it is so darn fun trying!
Secondly when the plow came this morning he did not dump snow on top of the fort we spent hours building yesterday! It is quite an elaborate piece of architecture. It was so funny throughout the construction process how much we thought about safety and solid design... Like we ever thought of arched ceilings and an emergency action plan when we were 8. We have lit all the halls and rooms in this 5-6 room fort. it is complete with the arched ceilings and the smell of Christmas/and berries.
Third and finally A family who I used to nanny for (the free braces people) are coming through Duluth this afternoon. We are going to hopefully meet for quick hugs and coffee I am excited about that.... then its off to the movie with some of my favorite people.

Shout out to Sarah G!